Gunarh Riding Killerwhale Sculpture
Availability: Only 1 available
Argillite, Catlinite, Mother of Pearl, Abalone shell
According to the oral traditions of the Northwest Coast, there was once a man named Gunarh whose beautiful wife was kidnapped by a Killerwhale. He took her to the underwater village of the powerful Killerwhale People, and planned to wed her as soon as he could create a dorsal fin and attach it to her back. However, Gunarh was determined to rescue his beloved. He undertook a series of perilous tasks, going so far as to ride on the back of a mighty Killerwhale to reach the village in the depths of the sea. There, Gunarh successfully extracted his wife from the Chief Killerwhale’s longhouse, rescuing his love and returning with her to their own earthly village.
This is a common myth amongst the Haida people but there are many versions of this legend base on the Nation which is telling the story. In some versions, Gunarh is instead called Nanasimget.
3.75 x 3.75 x 1.75"
$6,800.00 CAD
Only 1 available
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Argillite, Catlinite, Mother of Pearl, Abalone shell
According to the oral traditions of the Northwest Coast, there was once a man named Gunarh whose beautiful wife was kidnapped by a Killerwhale. He took her to the underwater village of the powerful Killerwhale People, and planned to wed her as soon as he could create a dorsal fin and attach it to her back. However, Gunarh was determined to rescue his beloved. He undertook a series of perilous tasks, going so far as to ride on the back of a mighty Killerwhale to reach the village in the depths of the sea. There, Gunarh successfully extracted his wife from the Chief Killerwhale’s longhouse, rescuing his love and returning with her to their own earthly village.
This is a common myth amongst the Haida people but there are many versions of this legend base on the Nation which is telling the story. In some versions, Gunarh is instead called Nanasimget.
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70. Mother & Baby Killerwhale Amulet
Andrew Williams
$1,100.00 CADArgillite, Sterling silver
2.5 x 1.75 x 0.5″
Sterling silver Omero chain available separately.This stunning amulet was featured in the GYUUJUU HLAA: Haida Masterworks III Exhibition in 2017. This exhibition illustrated the great importance of listening amongst the Haida, demonstrating how their artform is an extension of the Potlatch, where communication was an essential element in ceremony and critical to the continuation of their oral cultural heritage.
In the Haida language, Gyuujuu hlaa simply means “listen” and it is meant to invoke everyone’s undivided attention. Through the artists’ creations, they visually express centuries-old legends and mythologies, as well as the places they are connected to, by illustrating stories you can ‘hear’ while reflecting upon the artform.
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69. Story of Nanasimgit Amulet
Andrew Williams
$1,100.00 CADArgillite, Sterling silver
2.5 x 1.5 x 0.5″
Sterling silver Omero chain available separately.According to the oral traditions of the Northwest Coast, there was once a man named Nanasimget whose beautiful wife was kidnapped by a Killerwhale. He took her to the underwater village of the powerful Killerwhale People, and planned to wed her as soon as he could create a dorsal fin and attach it to her back. However, Nanasimget was determined to rescue his beloved. He undertook a series of perilous tasks, going so far as to ride on the back of a mighty Killerwhale to reach the village in the depths of the sea. There, Nanasimget successfully extracted his wife from the Chief Killerwhale’s longhouse, rescuing his love and returning with her to their own earthly village.
This is a common myth amongst the Haida people but there are many versions of this legend base on the Nation which is telling the story. In some versions, Nanasimget is instead called Gunarh.
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Hawk Moon Pendant
Vernon Joseph White
$1,600.00 CADArgillite, Abalone Shell, Sterling Silver, Mastodon ivory
The Hawk takes its place in the supernatural spiritual world, inspiring unique designs for masks, rattles and jewelry. For the Haida Nation, it was used to represent the Thunderbird. Often associated with the Sun, the Hawk can be distinguished by its curled beak which curves to meet the tip of the lower jaw.
When the Raven brought light to the world, some versions of the legend say that it was the Hawk who made the Raven drop the box so it opened, releasing the Sun, Moon and Stars into the Universe.
For more details on shipping Ivory outside of Canada, please click here and then click open the Shipping section and scroll down to read more on Shipping Restrictions.
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Beaver & Bear Box
Derek J. White
$8,000.00 CADSterling Silver, Argillite, Abalone shell, Engraved
Although Derek White’s Beaver and Bear Box is constructed from the contemporary material of Sterling Silver combined with Argillite, this box retains its traditional values through conception and imagery. Derek exhibits his mastery in his precision of line and perfect symmetry of the formline on this treasure. The gently angled lid with Abalone inlay as well as the engraved and incised elements on the box is suggestive of the prototypic bent cornered wooden boxes and chests.
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Raven with Light Sculpture
Christian White
Price upon requestArgillite, Catlinite, Mother of Pearl, Abalone shell
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3. Eagle, Killerwhale, Bear & Frog Model Pole
Christian White
Price upon requestArgillite, Catlinite, Abalone shell
Argillite is grey colour and a relatively soft stone to carve which hardens over time as it begins to oxidize once removed from the mine. As it is relatively a limited resource, it is difficult to obtain large pieces from the quarry. Apart from small totem poles like this, the kinds of objects carved from Argillite include plates with carved and incised designs, pendants, pipes, small boxes, and sculptured figures.
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Frog Eating Dragonfly Pendant
Christian White
$2,200.00 CADArgillite, Catlinite, Abalone shell, Sterling silver
The Frog symbolizes luck, prosperity, stability and healing. As a communicator, Frogs connect with the world on land and under water. This figure is often carved into totem poles to prevent them from falling over.